• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.491-501
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• 2022

This study evaluated the contamination levels of inland pollution sources flowing into Taeanhaean National Park. The nutritional status of influents was assessed by analyzing water quality and trophic status index (TRIX) at 52 stations, and the contamination levels of sediments were evaluated by analyzing eutrophication cleanup index (CIET) and heavy metals at 36 stations. The results of the TRIX analysis showed that 26 of the 52 stations had influents with a TRIX value of 6-10 (poor water quality/very high trophic level), indicating atrocious water quality and high eutrophication levels. The results of the CIET analysis showed that 4 out of the 36 stations were highly contaminated with organic matter. Analysis of heavy metals showed that the copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) levels exceeded the threshold effects level (TEL) and probable effects levels (PEL) at several stations. In addition, the arsenic (As) level exceeded the threshold effects level at one station, and the levels of the other heavy metals (Cd, Cr⁶⁺, Ni, Pb, and Hg) were lower. Most inland pollution sources have been identified as small-scale, but long-term and continuous exposure can negatively affect the marine ecosystem; therefore, it necessary to prepare inland pollution source management standards and measures suitable for the characteristics of the coastal area.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.615-623
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• 2012

In this study, we evaluate the corrosion indexes (CI) such as Langelier Index (LI), Larson ratio (LR), Ryznar saturation index (RSI), Aggressiveness index (AI) of water quality for raw water, treated water and water in distribution reservoir at major eight drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in Korea. By analyzing secondary contamination of tap water, the variation of secondary contaminants was investigated with regard to pipe materials, aging and corrosion index (CI). In addition, we suggested an appropriate CI applicable water quality and the management plan for CI monitoriing. All CI showed corrosive water quality, and they did not change significantly in the distribution network. However, Copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentrations as secondary contaminants increased through the distribution network. Among CI, LI was most sensitive to changes in raw water quality and drinking water treatment. Also, it has high correlations with other indexes such as RSI, AI. Therefore, LI is considered as an appropriate CI to the domestic water quality. Based on these result, we propose LI as a drinking water quality standard to control the pipe corrosion from DWTPs.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.176-181
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• 2004

EAF (Electric Arc Furnace) dust is classified as special wastes containing heavy metal contaminants may cause to damage an environment such as underground water contamination if they were not treated properly. For reutilizing the EAF dust, the porous body was made from EAF dust/clay composition system, and analyzed pore characteristics. It was found that a light-aggregate body was made up two different microstructures. One was non-black and dense microstructure which located near surface, and the other was black and porous microstructure (black coring) which located inner part. For systematizing the relationship of the black-coring area and the bloating degree, we defined the Ic(core index) and Is(shell index). It was found that the optimal bloating conditions of artificial light-weight aggregate were more than 0.5 of Ic and 0.4 of Is.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.6-13
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: Most of the tailings have been left without any management in abandoned metalliferous mines and have become the main source of heavy metal contamination for agricultural soils and crops in the these areas. METHODS AND RESULTS: This experiment was carried out to investigate the assessment of the heavy metal contamination in paddy soils located on downstream of the closed metalliferous mine. The average total concentrations of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and arsenic (As) in paddy soils were 8.88, 56.7, 809, 754, and 37.9 mg/kg, respectively. Specially, the average concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn were higher than those of warning criteria for soil contamination(4 mg/kg for Cd, 200 mg/kg for Pb, and 300 mg/kg for Zn) in agricultural soil established by Soil Environmental Conservation Act in Korea. The proportions of 0.1 M HCl extractable Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and As concentration to total concentration of these heavy metals in paddy soils were 27.7, 21.3, 35.1, 13.8 and 10.5%, respectively. The pollution index of these five metals in paddy soils ranged from 0.42 to 11.92. Also, the enrichment factor (EFc) of heavy metals in paddy soils were in the order as Cd>Pb>Zn>Cu>As, and the enrichment factor in paddy soil varied considerably among the sampling sites. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) of heavy metals in soils were in the order as Cd>Pb>Zn>Cu>As, specially, the average geoaccumulation index of Cd, Pb, and Zn (Igeo 2.49~3.10) were relatively higher than that of other metals in paddy soils. CONCLUSION: Based on the pollution index, enrichment factor, and geoaccumulation index for heavy metal in paddy soils located on downstream of closed metalliferous mine, the main contaminants are mine waste materials and mine drainage including mine activity.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.499-508
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• 1998

The Imgok Creek is located in the Gangreung coal field, which has been known that sulfides are more abundant than other coal fields in Korea, and it has been severly contaminated by acid mine drainage (AMD) discharging from the abandoned coal mines, such as the Youngdong, the Dongduk and the Waryong coal mines. The purposes of this study are to synthetically assess the contamination of natural water, stream sediment and cultivated soils, and to provide the basic data for AMD treatment. Geochemical samples were collected in December, 1996 (dry season) and April, 1997 (after three day's rainfall). TDS of the Youngdong mine water was remarkably higher than those of other mine waters. In the Imgok Creek, concentrations of most elements, except Fe decreased with distance by dilution caused by the inflow of uncontaminated tributaries. From the results of NAMDI and $I_{geo}$ calculation, the Youngdong coal mine was the main contamination source of the study area. Groundwater pollution was not yet confirmed in this study and the paddy and farm land soils were also not yet contaminated by mining activity based on the pollution index ranging from 0.27 to 0.47.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.244-253
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• 2010

The quality of marine sediments from the industrialized coastal areas of Korea (Ulsan Bay, Masan Bay, and artificial Lake Shihwa) was investigated using a bacterial bioluminescence toxicity test. Sediment toxicity results were compared with the levels of chemical contamination (trace metals, organic wastewater markers, acid volatile sulfides, total organic carbon). Effective concentration 50% (EC50) of sediments ranged from 0.014 to 1.126 mg/mL, which is comparable to or lower than values in contaminated lakes, rivers, and marine sediments of other countries. Sediment reference index (SRI) ranged from 13 to 1044, based on the EC50 of the negative control sample. Mean average SRI values in Masan Bay and Lake Shihwa were approximately 8 and 9 times as high as that in Ulsan Bay, indicating higher sediment toxicity and greater contamination in the two former regions. Sediment toxicity were strongly associated with the concentrations of some chemicals, suggesting that this test may be useful for determining potential chemical contamination in sediments.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.412-424
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• 2021

Understanding the distribution of heavy metals in sediment is necessary because labile heavy metals can partition into the water column and bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms. Here we investigated six heavy metals (Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in sediment cores using a five-step sequential leaching method to examine the occurrence of heavy metals in the sediment. The results showed that all elements, except Mn, are depleted in the exchangeable and carbonate fractions. However, heavy metal concentrations are much higher in the Fe-Mn oxide and organic matter fractions, especially for Cu, indicating enrichment in the organic matter fraction. Furthermore, contamination parameters (contamination factor and geoaccumulation index) indicate that Mn contamination is high, primarily derived from anthropogenic sources, presenting a potential risk to ecosystems in the Nakdong River.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2000

The sensitivity analysis of input parameters for a dynamic food chain model DYNACON was conducted as a function of deposition date for the long-lived radionuclides $(^{137}Cs,\;^{90}Sr)$. Also, the influence of input parameters for the short and long-terms contamination of selected foodstuffs (cereals, leafy vegetables, milk) was investigated. The input parameters were sampled using the LHS technique, and their sensitivity indices represented as PRCC. The sensitivity index was strongly dependent on contamination period as well as deposition date. In case of deposition during the growing stages of plants, the input parameters associated with contamination by foliar absorption were relatively important in long-term contamination as well as short-term contamination. They were also important in short-term contamination in case of deposition during the non-growing stages. In long-term contamination, the influence of input parameters associated with foliar absorption decreased, while the influence of input parameters associated with root uptake increased. These phenomena were more remarkable in case of the deposition of non-growing stages than growing stages, and in case of $^{90}Sr$ deposition than $^{137}Cs$ deposition. In case of deposition during growing stages of pasture, the input parameters associated with the characteristics of cattle such as feed-milk transfer factor and daily intake rate of cattle were relatively important in contamination of milk.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 1993

The relationships between microbial activity and disturbance level of soil were investigated from 15 parks in Seoul and undisturbed area. The physico-chemical characteristics of soil and dehydrogenase activity(DHA) as an index of soil microbial activity were analysed. There were ranges of 3.84~7.37 in pH, 9.63~40.33% in moisture content, 3.41~21.49% in organic matter, 0.36~0.79g/g in water holding capacity and 0.03~0.53% in total nitrogen investigated sites. DHA values of soil were 8.64~$146.76{\mu}g/g$ in park soil and 545.14~$1, 198.80{\mu}g/g$ in undisurbed area. DHA of park soil with high traffic density and contamination source from human activities was much lower than that of undisturbed area. DHA was positively correlated with moisture content, organic matter, water holding capacity and total nitrogen.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.474-480
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• 2012

Diagnostic tests were performed on two high voltage(HV) motor stator windings. These tests included the measurement of insulation resistance, polarization index, AC current, dissipation factor($tan{\delta}$) and partial discharge(PD) magnitude. Surface contamination of HV motor stator windings has an effect on the AC current and $tan{\delta}$. When the stator windings were finished cleaning and insulation reinforcement, the increase rate of AC current(${\Delta}I$) and dissipation factor(${\Delta}tan{\delta}$) were very small compared to those before cleaning. However, the PD magnitude remained the same. These tests show that cleaning and insulation reinforcement of HV motor stator windings can reduce the insulation failure.